Kevin Richardson

Overview

Known for
Acting
Gender
Other
Birthday
Oct 08, 1974 (50 years old)

Kevin Richardson

Known For

Wild Cats 3D
0h 39m
Movie 2015

Wild Cats 3D

"Wild Cats 3D" is the story of the magnificent lions, cheetahs and leopards of southern Africa. Kevin Richardson, the "Lion Whisperer", leads an expedition into their extraordinary world.

Killer IQ: Lion vs. Hyena
1h 28m
Movie 2015

Killer IQ: Lion vs. Hyena

In this documentary, world-famous lion whisperer Kevin Richardson maps the behavior of both lions and hyenas. Assisted by the world's leading behavioral scientists, Richardson conducts various tests that target specific skills and aspects of the animals' behavior. Cognitive awareness and social intelligence are put to the test: how well do the animals do in tasks such as puzzle boxes, tug-of-war or mirror mazes? Do they share their findings with their family or clan? Or do they keep the newly acquired knowledge to themselves?

In Search Of A Legend: Black Leopard
0h 52m
Movie 2005

In Search Of A Legend: Black Leopard

The story of a documentary film crew looking for a black leopard in South Africa.

Dangerous Companions
0h 51m
Movie 2005

Dangerous Companions

Kevin Richardson, animal behaviorist, works with some of the most dangerous animals known to man. Rather than train the animals, he persuades them. To do this he uses his own unusual methods. He uses love, understanding, and trust, and has developed some very close bonds with these animals. He has become many things, a trusted ally, the dominant male of a clan of hyenas, a brother. But most of all he is well-loved and trusted by his animal friends. He sleeps with lions, cuddles new-born hyenas and swims with lionesses.

Biography

Kevin Rene Richardson (born 8 October 1974), known as "The Lion Whisperer", is a South African YouTube personality, wildlife conservationist and self-taught sanctuary owner who works with African lions, black leopards, spotted hyenas and striped hyenas. Kevin Richardson was born in the Nightingale Clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa, on the 8th of October, 1974. He spent his childhood in the neighbourhood of Orange Grove. His mother, Patricia, worked for Barclays Bank and was also born in South Africa. Richardson's father, who worked for a pharmaceutical company, was born in the United Kingdom and moved to South Africa from Reading, Berkshire. Kevin Richardson is the youngest of four children: he has an older brother and two sisters who are twins. His father died when Richardson was thirteen years old. When he was about sixteen, he met Stan Schmidt and began his career as a "self-taught behaviourist." Richardson went to college and studied zoology, but quit following two years of repetitive lessons on marine biology instead of mammals. As an adult, Richardson believed that he would never have a career working with animals and that it would remain a hobby of his. He started taking courses in physiology and anatomy in college and started a career in exercise physiology and became an exercise physiologist. When he was twenty-three, he had the opportunity to work as a handler and cared for two six-month-old lion cubs, Tau and Napoleon which he later rescued. His early years took place at the Lion Park near the outskirts of his home in Johannesburg. He still runs with the now full grown cubs in the wild. The facility owner, Rodney Fuhr, started him off with a part-time job at the Lion Park. Richardson and his team work with animals for the commercial filming industry and make documentaries to generate income to fund the facility. They also have a volunteer programme which generates income, and volunteers who help to run the sanctuary. Richardson worked within a 650 hectares (1,600 acres) Lion Park in Broederstroom, a town 35 miles north of his hometown, Johannesburg, in South Africa. Whilst primarily specializing in lions, he has also interacted with hyenas and black panthers. The park, which was set up with the help of Rodney Fuhr, is 800 hectares (2,000 acres) and was built for the set of the 2010 movie White Lion. Richardson cares for thirty-nine lions at this facility. As of 2011 the facility was private, but there were plans to open it to the public. The sanctuary's Web site said in 2020 that it was open for guided group tours and had a volunteering program. In 2015 the Kevin Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary relocated to Welgedacht Private Game Reserve near Pretoria. He has slept next to, fed, and lived with lions. He has also worked with cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas. He prefers lions to any other big cat. His relationship with the animals, however, has not been an instant one. He has known all of the lions he works with since they were cubs. He still continues his bond with Tau and Napoleon, the lion brothers who were his introduction to big cats. ... Source: Article "Kevin Richardson (zookeeper)" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

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